US and Ecuador Sign Agreement to Combat Drug Trafficking and Violence

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Ecuador Signs Agreement with the United States to Combat Drug Trafficking Organizations

LOS ANGELES – In a closed-door meeting held last Wednesday, Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso signed an agreement with the United States government to combat drug trafficking organizations. The agreement, which came as a result of increased violence in Ecuador attributed to criminal gangs linked to drug trafficking, aims to strengthen surveillance and combat illicit transnational maritime activity.

Senior officials from the US Coast Guard and Department of Defense were present at the signing, along with several US congressmen who were informed about the agreement. The agreement allows for the presence of US military forces, both land and maritime, in Ecuador to bolster efforts in combating drug cartels operating in the country.

However, the State Department did not publicly announce the agreement, and it only came to light when member of the House of Representatives, Dan Crenshaw, revealed it to The Washington Examiner. Crenshaw, who chairs the Congressional Intervention Force to Combat Mexican Drug Cartels, confirmed that a status agreement for forces and a maritime forces agreement were signed between Ecuador and the United States.

The maritime agreement grants permission for US military ships to be present in waters off the Ecuadorian coast, a common route used by Colombian drug cartels to transport cocaine. The presence of US military personnel is seen as a clear message indicating the desire for increased involvement in combating drug trafficking in the region.

The signing of the agreement comes as Ecuador experiences a sharp increase in violence, with the number of murders per 100,000 inhabitants rising from 5.8 to 25.32 in just five years. Experts predict that this rate could rise to 40 by the end of 2023. In response to the escalating violence, a large-scale security operation was conducted in the Durán canton, located in the coastal province of Guayas, with the aim of disarming criminal organizations.

The violence has even affected the presidential campaign, with the shooting of candidate Fernando Villavicencio during a campaign event in Quito last August. Villavicencio, a journalist critical of organized crime, had reported threats from José Adolfo Macías Villamar, alias “Fito,” leader of Los Choneros, a group with ties to the Mexican drug cartel Sinaloa. Following the murder, six Colombian citizens suspected of carrying out the attack were arrested.

To further aid in the investigation of the assassination, the FBI is providing assistance to Ecuadorian authorities. In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the capture of the ringleaders responsible for the murder. Additionally, up to one million dollars will be rewarded for information leading to the identification of high-ranking members of the criminal group responsible for the candidate’s assassination.

“The United States will continue to support the people of Ecuador and work to bring to justice individuals who seek to undermine democratic processes through violent crime,” said Blinken.

This agreement and collaboration between Ecuador and the United States strive to combat the drug trafficking organizations that have been responsible for the escalating violence in Ecuador. Through joint efforts, both countries hope to alleviate the devastating impact of these criminal activities on society.